In this project, the size-resolved composition of non-refractory submicron aerosol particles will be characterized with an Aerodyne High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) during the Campaigns of Air Quality Research in Beijing (CAREBEIJING) from July to September, 2008. CAREBEIJING is an international project designed to study the impact of vehicle restrictions and urban emission controls on air quality in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games. The resulting data set of time- and size-resolved ambient fine particle composition and high-resolution mass spectra should be valuable for understanding the sources, characteristics, and photochemical processes of atmospheric aerosols in the high-density urban and industrial area. Because vehicle traffic will be restricted during the Olympics, there will be a unique opportunity to examine the impacts of air pollution control on fine particle chemistry, physics, and secondary formation mechanisms in a large megacity.
Broader impacts include insights into air quality for residents of Beijing and surrounding regions. Findings from this study will inform the development of air quality management strategies to reduce the adverse impacts of aerosols on human health, ecosystems, and climate. Training in operation of instrumentation and data analysis for collaborators in China will prepare them for future studies of atmospheric chemistry and air quality.
